Bye Marco

Marco was another exchange student from Italy who lived several blocks north of us and was friends with Gaia at school. The two of them worked together on a catapult project. We took Marco with us to the Grand Canyon. He came over before he left for the year to say goodbye. He's a good kid.

I'm Gonna Get that Ball

Home from Seattle

Everyone was exhausted, but we made it home in one piece. Disembarkation went off without any major hitches, and we managed to make Mass at the Seattle Cathedral, minus Mark & crew, who had separate arrangements. We had to navigate the city's serious bum scene to eat at a grungy Starbucks before light railing to the airport.

Victoria, BC

Our last stop was also our shortest, unfortunately: Victoria, British Columbia. We wish we had more time to explore the city. We had just enough time to walk into the city center and hang out before heading back to the ship.

 

 

Panning for Gold in Skagway

Our last stop and excursion was panning for gold in Skagway along with a bus ride into Canada.

 

 

 

Whale Watching in Juneau

A bucket list item for Bobbins was to watch whales up close from a boat. That was our excursion in Juneau, just the two of us. Mark & Jess took their kids and ours to the National Shrine of St. Therese. They had the better of it, as we didn't realize that the whales feed in the summer in Alaska and are almost totally underwater the whole time, only occasionally coming up for air. No mating or jumping out of the water, just an occasional blow of air. Bobbins was disappointed and did not cross it off her bucket list.

 

 The excursion did include a tasty salmon bake after. I'm not a fan of salmon but it was delicious & fresh with great fixin's. There was a nice waterfall nearby. We ate with a nice couple from Massachusetts who were also escaping their two kids.

Best Cruise Photo Ever

This was a real official photo taken on the cruise, the kind they print and sell. I saw these boys a couple times and they were a hoot. That is really them.

On Deck through the Inside Passage

 

 

Entertainment on Ship

There's a number of things to do on ship to entertain yourself. Mark and I entered a chipping contest, where you had to chip a wiffle golf ball into the jacuzzi (surprisingly hard). Bobbins and the girls went to a napkin folding class. Bobbins and her Dad did Wii archery. MM entered a cup stacking contest. And of course MM found any chance to dance in a grand ballroom like space.

 

A couple of the chefs did a neat fruit carving exhibition.

And there was a juggling class which only a certain someone could master.......

Around Ketchikan